Spellbound
by Nathalaia
Summary: "Once you die, your body will be mine to command, without the slightest hesitation." A new world; a new threat. Fai's life is at risk and Kurogane and Syaoran can do nothing but wait at the sideline and watch – or can they? Takes place after the manga's ending.


_Summary: "Once you die, your body will be mine to command, without the slightest hesitation." A new world; a new threat. Fai's life is at risk and Kurogane and Syaoran can do nothing but wait at the sideline and watch – or can they? Takes place after the manga's ending._

_Oh wee! Look! Another fan fiction (which has been due for months, but...)! This one takes place after the manga's ending and therefore contains **S-P-O-I-L-E-R-S.** If you haven't read till that, stop reading this moment and get going with the manga! It's wonderful._

_I wanted to try a more… original idea, so to speak, though it might actually be more cliché than I first thought. And I actually wanted to split it up in chapters, but, well… No. Another oneshot~  
__  
And before I let you read, I just want to say that I haven't read TRC for a long time, so therefore they might not be in-character… I'm sorry if that's the case. I'm satisfied with the first half, but then I stopped writing for a long time because Kuroshitsuji took my focus, and then Merlin… Sigh. So the last half might not be too good. Oh well, I'll let you be the judgers of that._

_Spellbound_

_- A fan fiction by Nathalaia_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing and am very happy by stating that fact; I couldn't have made Kurogane as awesome as he is~ Besides, I couldn't even draw if my life depended on it._

* * *

"You damn white bun! Why can't you make a decent landing just _once_!" an angry voice roared from somewhere in the big forest.

A joyful laughter followed. "Ah, Kuro-puppy! Ever the optimist!"

"Shut up, idiot!"

A white creature that could almost go for a rabbit, if you ignored its talking and teleporting, giggled. "Kuro-daddy is mad! Kuro-daddy is mad!"

Fai worked his way down from the tree he had landed in while laughing at the ninja trapped in a bush, swearing and scowling.

The only one – apart from Mokona – who had had a somewhat safe landing was the group's third and last comrade, Syaoran, who had landed face-down in some moss.

"You okay there, Syaoran-kun?" Fai asked with a smile and looked towards the younger boy.

"Yes, I'm all right," he answered politely. "What about you?"

"Oh, we're fine!" the mage laughed, now looking at the ninja who had managed to free himself from the _terrifying _bush.

"Where the hell did you bring us, puffball?" he grumbled and walked towards the other two, arms folded.

"Somewhere in a forest, it seems," Syaoran answered, looking around.

"A forest!" Mokona cheered on Fai's shoulder.

The trees were standing close and the colourful leaves almost concealed the sight of the dark sky. It was chilly and a layer of thin ice covered the earth underneath their feet. Luckily the group was dressed in warm clothes and cloaks, so the cold didn't get to them.

Fai's eyes narrowed slightly as he noted something… unusual about this place. Problem was that he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It felt like some sort of magic, but he wasn't sure. It wasn't even certain that it was magic; it could be something entirely else.

"I wonder how large it is," Fai mused and poked his cheek with a long finger, deeming the feeling as nothing of importance. How bad could it be?

"Who knows," Kurogane muttered moodily. "Let's find shelter. The sky is getting dark. We'll sleep and search for somewhere to stay until we have to leave again tomorrow morning."

The next day they moved on, having slept in a cave. Outside the forest they could see a town in the horizon and went towards it.

"I wonder how this world will turn out to be!" Fai smiled and ran up to Kurogane's side. "Maybe it's like Piffle. Or maybe more like Shara!"

"You are as annoying as always," Kurogane sighed and glared at the mage who just laughed.

Syaoran smiled at the two. "They are bickering like an old couple, don't you agree?" he said to Mokona, who nodded and giggled.

"I heard that!" Kurogane shouted, still glaring at the laughing mage.

The group – except for the fuming ninja –laughed as they entered the small town.

The city looked like an average city with small houses built with red stones, inns and a smaller market with food, clothes and weapons, mostly swords and knives.

"Seems fine," Kurogane noted while walking through the marketplace. "First step is to sell the clothes from the last world that we do not need. Afterwards we have to find work so we can pay for somewhere to stay."

"Hyuu~," Fai 'whistled' and looked around. "You're right."

The group sold their clothes from the last world and then split up to find work; Kuro and Syaoran, Fai and Mokona. Though Mokona hid herself in Fai's hood.

Kuro and Syaoran found job as assistants in one of the stalls at the market. Fai ended up working at an inn. Instead of money the man let them borrow a small house with two bedrooms, one living room, one kitchen and a bathroom. It was small, but it wasn't bad.

They returned to the house in the evening and made themselves at home. Fai went to make dinner and was soon joined by Mokona, while Syaoran went to the living room to take a look at the books. Kurogane walked around in the house, examining the place.

"Dinner is ready!" Fai sang after half an hour. Syaoran and Kurogane joined him at the table and began eating.

"How was your day?" Fai asked and looked at the two, smiling. "I take it you found work. Where?"

"We work for a salesman, though we some days will help children practise their sword skills," Syaoran answered.

"Sounds wonderful!" Fai cheered and grinned at Kurogane. "Right, Kuro-wanwan?"

"I'm not a god damn dog!" the ninja roared and scowled at him.

"Uwaah, Kuro-tan, temper, temper~" Fai smiled and was up in a second, running from the ninja with a murderous intent. "Now, now! We're not done with dinner yet!"

Syaoran shook his head slightly and continued eating, watching the two.

Suddenly Fai started coughing, placing a hand on the wall and leaning against it, the coughing fit not seeming to get an end.

"Oi, you alright?" Kurogane asked and narrowed his eyes, just barely suppressing the concern in his voice.

"Of course!" Fai smiled, still coughing a bit. "Perfectly fine! But your dinner is getting cold, Kuro-puppy~"

"How many times do I have to tell you…" Kurogane started, unsheathing his sword, "that my name is Kuro_gane_!"

"Uaah!" Fai laughed and ducked, a second from getting his head separated from the rest of his body.

Syaoran watched them, brows creased and slightly worried. Was something wrong with Fai? Fai's already pale face seemed even paler now, if possible. Was he getting sick?

Syaoran blinked, thinking.

Fai seemed okay for now, though, so he turned back to his food, now the only one who wasn't running around – or flying, as in Mokona's case. The rabbit look-alike had decided to join the fun, calling Kurogane weird names and giggling all the way.

* * *

A week quickly came and went, mostly peacefully, if not for Fai who continued having coughing fits.

"You should stay here," Kurogane said in the doorway, he and Syaoran ready to leave for work. "You look sick."

"Aww, Kuro-puppy is worried~" Fai smiled and winked. "Don't worry, though; it's nothing terrible. I feel fine, just a sore throat after all this coughing."

"Kurogane-san is right," Syaoran said, looking a bit worried. "You have coughed quite much ever since we came here. You should lie down and rest, if only for today. Please?" he added.

Fai smiled reassuringly and nodded. "If you say so. Although I do insist that nothing is wrong. Now, get going! And have a good day. Oh, and Kuro-sama," Fai added, smiling mischievously, "try not to scare the children away, ne?"

Kurogane huffed and walked away together with Syaoran.

Fai smiled and watched them until they left his sight before breaking down in yet another coughing fit.

"Fai!" Mokona cried anxiously and swirled around him like a bee.

"Don't worry," Fai said with a pained smile, "it's probably just a cold. Nothing to worry about." He frowned slightly as he felt the beginning of a headache, but then smiled again. He really didn't want to worry them. It couldn't be that bad, right? Only a small cold. It would be over in a couple of days.

"But…" Mokona said with a frown. "Please relax, Mokona is worried. Kurogane and Syaoran, too."

Fai sighed, smiling softly. "You need not to worry. But if it will make you feel less worried, I'll rest for a couple of hours, okay?"

"Okay!" Mokona smiled. "Mokona will sleep with you!"

Fai laughed and waved her with him to the bedroom he and Kurogane shared.

True to his words, he rested for some hours – actually four, to be exact. He felt better, so he grinned at Mokona. "What about we make a cake for Syaoran-kun and Kuro-tan? They work so hard for us~!"

"Yay!" Mokona cheered and followed Fai downstairs – or rather, sat on Fai's shoulder and let him about the walking. "Let's make chocolate-cake! Then mommy can feed daddy!"

Fai laughed as they entered the kitchen. "That's what we'll do then!"

They had only just found the things needed to make the cake when Fai started feeling dizzy. He frowned for at second, but then smiled again as to not worry Mokona.

Luckily, as the dizziness started getting worse, he noticed that they needed more flour and therefore sent Mokona after some more in the larder, giving himself a short break to collect himself and hopefully make the light-headedness go away.

No such luck.

Mokona had been gone for barely half a minute when his legs crumbled under him, sending him to his knees. The dizziness was still there. Not only that, but now he also felt cold and a little out of breath.

That was it. He really was sick, and it may be worse than he had thought. He really regretted having turned it away as something insignificant.

Suddenly, a pair of slender fingers touched his chin and lifted his face upwards to meet the scarlet eyes of a young woman.

He couldn't move. He was paralyzed; could only sit there and gaze into those dark eyes. He couldn't even open his mouth, least of all find his voice.

She leaned forward, fingers caressing his cheek, and whispered in his ear with a velvet but cold voice: "Fai… Dear Fai. When you die, your body will become mine. It will obey my every command, without the slightest hesitation. So await the day your soul, your life, will shatter like dandelion seeds blown away by the wind."

She released him to stand up, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders. "I will await your arrival at my castle. Soon, my dear."

The last thing Fai saw was the cool smile on her red lips. Then his mind succumbed to the darkness, his body slumping to the floor.

The woman disappeared seconds before Mokona returned, who, upon seeing the fallen figure of Fai, cried out and hurried to him, calling his name over and over, begging him to open his eyes.

But the magician remained unconscious, breathing slightly raspy, a frown of pain evident on his pale face.

* * *

"Some exited children," Syaoran sighed on their way back to the house.

"Troublesome…" Kurogane muttered, hands in his pockets. "I'm just glad we finally can go back to the inn."

Syaoran smiled. "Yes. You're right. I hope Fai-san is okay… He seemed very pale when we left."

"The idiot mage is fine, I'm sure," the ninja grumbled. "He can take care of himself."

They walked in silence the rest of the way. When Kurogane opened the door, white fur attacked his face.

"Oi, puffball!" he hissed and grabbed the frantic creature that was blabbering on and on about something he couldn't make sense of. "Easy! I can't understand a word you're saying."

"It's Fai!" Mokona squeaked, instantly getting the two's full attention. "He won't wake up! Mokona tried calling him, but-"

"Quiet!" Kurogane ordered, hurrying inside with Syaoran just behind him. "Where is he?"

"The kitchen!" Mokona answered.

They found Fai on the floor, sweating and panting. Kurogane kneeled down at his side, placing a hand on his forehead. "The idiot is burning up…" he muttered, lifting the lithe body of the man up in his arms.

"What happened?" Syaoran enquired and looked questioning at Mokona.

"Mokona's not sure…" the creature said quietly, glancing anxiously at Fai. "Mokona left him for some minutes and when Mokona returned, he had collapsed. Mokona didn't know what to do!"

"Hm…" Kurogane murmured and laid Fai in his bed, covering his trembling body with a thick blanket to make sure he wouldn't freeze. "He must be sick. More so than I first thought." He sighed, annoyed. "Damn mage."

"But to collapse just like that… We need to get him to a doctor," Syaoran mumbled, a troubled look in his eyes.

"We'll wait till he wakes up," Kurogane said and stood up. "Then we'll ask him and figure out what to do next. He might have just pushed himself too far."

"Mokona will stay with Fai!" Mokona exclaimed and was quickly shushed on by Syaoran. "When he wakes up, Mokona will call for you!" she added, whispering.

Kurogane grunted and nodded. "Fine."

The two went downstairs, both deep in thought. When they made it down Syaoran silently went to clean the kitchen after Fai and Mokona's baking. Kurogane seated himself in a chair in the living room, pondering about the recent events.

Fai must have been ill since the first day, but had only just admitted to feeling a bit under the weather that very morning. It didn't seem like he thought it to be anything of importance then, nor that morning, so why did he collapse?

Kurogane muttered under his breath, damning the mage for making such a racket and worrying him.

At bedtime Fai still hadn't woken up, worrying the group. It especially worried Kurogane, more than he would ever admit out loud.

"Someone should be with him," Syaoran said and looked at Fai's pale face, his breath a bit too raspy for his liking. "… If something happens." They all knew what he implied, but none of them would say it out loud. If they did, they would just be accepting the fact that whatever Fai suffered from could be serious and not just something minor like a cold.

Kurogane nodded stiffly. "I'll keep an eye on him. Kid, you'll replace me a couple of hours before dawn. If the idiot still isn't awake by morning, we'll get a doctor or a healer - whatever this place has."

Syaoran nodded. "Let's do that. Mokona, do you want to stay with Fai-san and Kurogane-san?"

"Mokona will go along with Syaoran!" Mokona said cheerfully, but more hushed than normally. "That way Kuro-daddy can watch his Fai-mommy alone!"

"You damn white bun!" Kurogane hissed and lunged at it. "Don't call me that! And the idiot isn't mine!" he added as an afterthought, glaring at the creature.

Mokona hid behind a nervously smiling Syaoran, grinning mischievously. "Kuro-daddy wants Fai-mommy, he just doesn't want to admit it," she said with glee.

Kurogane made a move towards his sword, but Syaoran grabbed Mokona and left with a rushed "Good night!" before the ninja could slice the creature in half. Kurogane grumbled to himself, looking at Fai and sighed. Might as well sit down with a book while he watched over the stupid mage.

Half an hour before he planned to get Syaoran, Fai stirred from his sleep. He immediately became alert, slamming the book close and looking at him from his place on the chair beside Fai's bed.

The blond opened two cerulean, slightly glazed over, eyes, and looked at Kurogane.

"Kuro… gane?" he breathed, looking as if the mere name was a pain to say out loud.

Kurogane's eyes narrowed upon hearing his full name from the mage's mouth; he never used it, unless something was wrong. "Yes. I'm right here. How are you?"

"Kuro… puu…" Fai said, back at calling him nicknames. Dammit. "Hurry… Woman… Magic…" His voice died, leaving a slightly bewildered Kurogane.

"Oi! Mage! Wake up!" He shook Fai gently and cursed as the man had once again fallen into unconsciousness and wasn't likely to wake up anytime soon.

"Hurry, woman, magic…" he recited thoughtful. That didn't make any sense. What did the mage want to tell him with those words? Was he delirious? He cursed softly and went to get Syaoran. Maybe he could think of something. The kid was smart.

Kurogane only got about an hour of sleep that night, as he used half an hour discussing the three words with Syaoran. And when he finally went to bed, he kept thinking about them – and Fai. Therefore, he didn't sleep very much nor very well.

Syaoran and Mokona went to get someone to look at Fai the following morning while Kurogane stayed with him. He had wanted to go himself, but Syaoran had made him stay. His argument was that Kurogane would know what to do if something happened to Fai to worsen his already fragile state. Kurogane had his doubts, but he willed to stay nonetheless.

He waited for nearly an hour before Syaoran returned with a man in his mid-thirties. "He's a doctor," Syaoran told Kurogane as the man went to Fai's side, looking him over for a second and then he placing a hand on his forehead to take his temperature and a finger on his wrist to find his pulse.

"When did this start? And what were the symptoms?" the doctor asked and looked over at them, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"When we arrived," Syaoran answered, watching as the doctor leaned closer, listening to Fai's breath. "Nine days ago. He started coughing and has done so occasionally ever since. And then, yesterday, he just suddenly collapsed. He was sweating and seemingly in pain. He woke for a very short time this night."

The doctor frowned slightly. "Did he say anything? Confirming the thoughts about being in pain, maybe?"

"Nothing of that sort, though it did seem so," Kurogane replied gruffly and folded his arms. "He only said three words, those being _hurry_, _woman_ and _magic_."

The stranger's eyes narrowed. "Is your friend a magician by any chance?"

Kurogane raised a brow, instantly beginning to suspect the man. He answered truthfully, however. "Yes."

The man began pacing the room, looking deep in thought. "I think I know what's wrong, though anything like this hasn't happened in a long time." He paused in his strides and looked at the two; Mokona had hid herself somewhere in the room. "I think your friend's 'illness' is caused by a witch."

Both Syaoran and Kurogane looked at him incredulously. "A witch?" the younger repeated, puzzled.

"Yes," the man nodded. "No one has ever seen her, though. Only those who she has taken have. Once we had many magicians in this town. But then she came and took them all. She cursed _every one_ of them; made them ill. No one knew what was wrong with them, only that they were dying, and fast. Then, one day, the magicians suddenly vanished and never returned. That happened almost three decades ago. Since then, every newborn with magic has been taken by her; they die only a week or two old. We have tried everything in our power to protect the infants, but it was no good. There has been born no children with magic for the last ten years.

But," he said and looked sadly at Fai, "I'm afraid your friend doesn't have much time left. A couple of days or three, I can't tell you precisely. We can do nothing but wait till he breathes his last breath."

"The hell with that!" Kurogane yelled furiously. "We will find that witch and _make_ her release her hold in the idiot, and I don't care what I have to do to make her!"

The doctor sighed and began talking in a way one would talk to a stubborn child. "There's no way. You won't stand a chance. Our men have already tried, and _failed_. They never returned and we never found their bodies. It's a rescue doomed to fail. I'm sorry."

"We refuse to let the witch take him without a fight," Syaoran said softly and glanced at Fai.

"He may be an idiot, but if he's going to be killed, it's by my hands and not some woman's," Kurogane added.

The doctor looked contemplating at them. They wouldn't back down, no matter what he said to them. He gave a dejected sigh and said, "Go north. A day's travel from here."

"If you haven't seen her before," Syaoran began thoughtfully, "how do you know where she lives?"

The doctor smiled slightly. "Some magicians have, before they died, managed to locate the source of the magic. They have found her magic to be strongest to the north, a day's travel from here, and that's why we believe she lives there.

The magicians have, like your friend, awakened for a minute or less. And like your friend, they said words. While they mostly said different things, depending on what they thought was important, they all said _woman_. So the evil must be a woman. This is the doing of magic, so naturally she's a witch."

"We'll leave immediately," Kurogane announced, straightening up. "And we _will _return."

"I wish you good luck – you'll need it," the doctor said with a nod.

"Can we ask you something?" Syaoran said, looking at the man. At the raise of a brow, he continued. "Can you please look after Fai-san while we're away?"

The doctor considered this for a moment, then nodded. "I will. But if you do not return…" He left the rest unsaid. They all knew that if they didn't return, Fai would be dead.

Syaoran smiled politely at the doctor. After a quick "Thank you", the two left the doctor to watch Fai in his magical sickness. Mokona stayed with the duo, too, and watched them from her hidden place.

* * *

They had been walking nonstop ever since they left the village. As they got further and further away, snow began to fall heavily onto the ground. The temperature had dropped significantly by nightfall, so they were happy that they had remembered to dress warmly before they headed out.

"Do you think we're close?" Syaoran asked as they walked, his breath coming out in a cloud of mist.

"I don't know," Kurogane grumped, his hands stuffed in his pockets. "We should be, if the doctor spoke the truth. We have walked for nearly a day."

"I guess we'll find out soon enough," the other sighed. "It shouldn't be too hard to find."

And he was right. An hour later they stumbled upon a castle… made entirely of ice. If they hadn't been on a mission to save Fai, they would have probably stopped up to admire the breathtaking view. The ice made it all seem so magical – as it without a doubt was. The tall towers spiralled upwards, as if trying – in vain – to reach the sky. There were no plants, only snow and ice.

"Let's find that witch and make her release her grip in the idiotic mage," Kurogane growled and stomped inside the castle with Syaoran hot on his heels.

The inside of the castle was just as stunning as the outside. They stopped in the big hall, just before a set of stairs. "I wonder where she is," Syaoran murmured as he looked around. "If she _is _here, that is."

"I'm sure she's here. Whoever would be in a place like this?" the ninja spoke and headed towards the stairs. "We'll just keep looking until we find what we came for."

"You don't have to." The voice was as cold as the ice the castle was made of and calm as the water surface on a day with no wind. They whipped around, immediately facing the dark-haired woman at the bottom of the stairs they had just climbed.

"You!" Kurogane growled and unsheathed his sword, Syaoran following his lead. "You are the one who has done something to the idiot, aren't you?"

The woman tilted her head and smiled. "Whatever are you talking about, Kurogane?"

Kurogane stiffened slightly at her words – she knew his name! How?

"You have done something to Fai-san," Syaoran elaborated, watching the woman's every move. "We have come here to make you release him."

"Why should I?" she spoke softly, her icy gaze never leaving them. "You can't stop me. Didn't the dear villagers warn you? You are stupid to have come here. Now you won't ever return."

"You're not the one to decide that!" Kurogane roared and gripped the sword in his hand tighter.

She just smiled, seemingly amused. "That's where you're wrong." She raised her hand and snapped two fingers. Instantly the hall was filled with dozens of men and women. Syaoran gasped softly as he realised who they were.

"It's the magicians she took," he told Kurogane, whose eyes narrowed dangerously. "She has turned them into her puppets, by the looks of it. We need to be careful; we don't know if they can use their magic."

"How dare she…" Kurogane muttered, glaring at the woman who smiled up at them. With a flicker of her wrist the magicians ran towards them, their dead eyes never leaving their prey.

Kurogane cursed and sprinted forward, sword slicing through one of the nearest attackers. The man's eyes widened – then he smiled. And then he turned to a cloud of dust, slowly sinking to the floor.

The magicians didn't seem to have the ability to use magic anymore, which came as a huge relief for the two fighting men. That meant one less thing to worry about. Now they just had to keep the attackers at bay, freeing them from the witch's magic when killing them and turning them to dust.

A parade here, a feint there, a slash here, and slowly the bewitched bodies of the magicians reduced in number. At long last, no one was left. Back were only Syaoran and Kurogane, both gasping for air, sweat soaking their hair and clothes, and the witch. The men had minor cuts and slashes on their bodies, but nothing too dangerous.

"Now… leave Fai-san be," Syaoran said, still fighting to get his breath back.

"The only way to save him is if I cry and hand you one of my tears," the witch, who was seated at the top of the stairs, having watched the whole fight from there, said. "And I won't cry for you. There's nothing left for you to do. You can't save him."

"Why?" Kurogane asked, his voice but an angry whisper. "Why won't you let him go?"

The witch straightened and faced him with a hard gaze. "They took everything away from me!" she said, hands clenching, eyes ablaze. "Years ago… A magician from that town took away the life of my beloved. Now they will all perish with him! The town will suffer because of him!"

"Why do they all have to suffer?" Syaoran asked gently. "Why? The magician who did that to your loved one is long gone. Why carry on?"

The witch's dark eyes were hard as steel, yet she didn't speak.

"Whatever you do, nothing will undo what has been done," Syaoran continued, glancing at Kurogane whose eyes were locked on the witch's figure. "You are just causing the same kind of grief to people who haven't done anything to you. People lost their loved one when you took them away from them. Does it satisfy you? Or is your anger blinding you, leaving you with nothing but hatred towards the town where _one _man did something to you, several decades ago?"

"They should all perish… They should all feel how it is to lose the one you love more than anything in this godforsaken world. All magicians are but a bunch of arrogant, worthless fools!" the woman shrieked.

"Then what does that make you?" Kurogane asked quietly.

The woman's eyes widened at the question. "I'm not… I'm not evil."

"Yet you have killed dozens of people. Children whose parents you left in grief, husbands who mourned for years and wives who had nothing left to live for. If you are not evil, then tell me… What are you?" Syaoran spoke and looked at her. Her eyes were wide open, giving her a frightened look.

"I'm not evil…" she whispered and sank to her knees, hands clenching. "It's an eye for an eye! A tooth for a tooth!" Her voice shook as she continuously unclenched and clenched her hands, not knowing what else to do.

"That's stupid," Kurogane growled and glared at the witch. "What you are doing is an eye for many. There's nothing fair about that."

The woman stayed silent, looking as if she tried desperately to think of something to say; something that would justify what she had done and would do. But if the look in her eyes were anything to go by, she couldn't think of anything.

"Stop this now, while you still have the chance," Syaoran advised softly. "Your hesitation shows that you have yet to be fully consumed by the hate and want for revenge; there's still hope. If you stop now, the villagers will forgive you."

The woman laughed; a shrill sound that chilled them to the bone. "They won't ever forgive me… I have made sure of that myself. They have suffered too much because of me." She looked up sharply and locked eyes with Kurogane. "I want you to kill me. Promise me that you'll kill me, and I'll give you one of my tears so you can save your friend."

"You don't have to die," Syaoran, ever the voice of reason, said.

"Maybe… But I have nothing left to live for. I just want to join my beloved in death," was the whispered words of the witch.

Kurogane and Syaoran exchanged glances, and with a nod the ninja headed up the stairs and stopped before the woman. She looked at him, and suddenly she smiled broadly. She raised a hand and gestured for him to lean closer. He did, and she whispered to him: "Keep him safe."

With those words, she pressed her eyes tightly together, ignoring the glare from Kurogane. When she opened them again, a single tear trailed down her cheek and continued down her chin, where it dropped to the floor. Before it landed, though, it turned to ice in the air and landed in the witch's waiting palm. She handed it to Kurogane and said, her voice tender, "It won't defrost, I have made sure of that. Just make your friend swallow it, and he'll be fine." Her gaze hardened and she looked at him. "Now, it's your time to finish your end of the deal. Let me reunite with my beloved."

Kurogane looked at the frozen tear in his palm for a moment. Then he clenched his hand and locked eyes with the witch. "If you insist." His voice was unnaturally kind as he raised his sword and swiftly sent it back down. It pierced the witch's breast and her breath hitched.

"Thank you…" she whispered and smiled softly. Then she, too, turned to dust like the other magicians before her. Kurogane stood and watched the place she had been seconds earlier, before he turned around and walked down to join Syaoran again.

With a sombre look on his face, Kurogane announced, "Let's hurry back so we can save that stupid magician of ours."

They could only hope they weren't too late.

* * *

When they returned to the house and made it into the room with the doctor and Fai, the doctor looked at them, clearly disbelieving what he was seeing. "You shouldn't have returned. How did you survive?"

"She was just consumed with anger because of something done to her many years ago," Syaoran told as Kurogane walked over to Fai who was looking even worse than when they left, but who was still alive. If only barely. He watched as the grumpy ninja crouched down and placed the frozen tear-drop on Fai's lips, making him swallow it as the witch had told him to. "She thirsted for revenge, but because of her anger she failed to see when she had gone too far. She is dead now, though." At this his voice turned solemn and he glanced at Fai. "She realized what she had done, and asked us to kill her in return for the tear that would save Fai-san's life. She regrets what she has done, but knew you wouldn't forgive her. She saw nothing left for her but death."

The doctor stayed silent as he too watched Fai and Kurogane, the latter keeping a close eye on Fai; watching for even the smallest sign that he was getting better. "I see…" he eventually murmured and rose from his seat. "I will make sure to inform the rest of the village about this. But first, tell me something: Why did she want revenge? What for?"

"One of your magicians once killed the person she loved," Kurogane said. "That's why."

The man nodded once and headed out, leaving the trio alone. Mokona appeared again, jumping onto Syaoran's shoulder. "So Fai will be okay again?" she asked quietly.

Syaoran smiled softly and nodded. "Yes. Yes, he will."

The following day Fai was indeed better, teasing and taunting Kurogane to the point where he unsheathed his sword and swung it after him, threatening and yelling at him.

Syaoran laughed quietly at the sight of the due running around in the kitchen as when they had first gotten there. "Some things just never change, do they?" he whispered to Mokona who giggled.

Later that day, it was time to leave the place.

A new world waited ahead of them.

* * *

_AN: Yes… That's it. I don't know what I think, but bleh. When do I ever? I hope you enjoyed reading, though! Do leave me a review and tell me about your thoughts of this fanfic! It would leave a very satisfied (and grateful) me :)_

Update: I have been told by a few reviewers by now that this is a bit short. Should I rewrite it with more plot and more details? A multi-chapter story, with more twists and such. Apparently people seem to believe that this story has too much potential to be so short, so if you think I should rewrite it, do tell me in a review or a PM! And if you want me to, you're welcome to add ideas and tips! :)


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